Joint Smart Munitions Test and Evaluation
Project Chicken Little (PCL) continues providing superior rapid reaction signature exploitation capabilities for use on both the traditional and the asymmetrical battlefield. PCL delivers vital one-of-a-kind research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) expertise directly to the warfighter, capability developer, and allied/coalition forces. From its inception in 1985, PCL constantly advances the state-of-the-art for developmental smart munitions, seekers/sensors, and their platforms. PCL also focuses its capability against today's networked weapons, emerging weapon concepts, and assists development of innovative targeting technologies to be employed against a wide variety of vehicle targets, theater air defense units, and an extensive array of associated equipment. Combat systems and support equipment exhibit physical characteristics (i.e. signatures) and present certain vulnerabilities, which can be exploited by various targeting technologies leading to the elimination or incapacitation of the threat through the application of force (e.g. smart munitions or directed energy) or application of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) methods. PCL collects physical, functional, and signature attributes of real foreign threat systems and related equipment; this data feeds high-fidelity models used to predict detection, classification, vulnerability, and effectiveness performance for ISR sensor and weapon system design. PCL collects high resolution signature data using a variety of ground, air, and space-based sensors against both new and existing (obtained, sustained, and maintained to be signature representative) foreign targets; with and without the presence of camouflage, concealment, and deception materials; and operated using enemy tactics/Concept of Operations (CONOPS). The resulting highly reliable, realistic data directly support munitions/targeting development programs and helps mitigate overall acquisition risk. PCL serves as a major focal point for joint signature exploitation, collection, and dissemination within the DoD. PCL is a prime contributor in the time critical process to rapidly exploit, assess, and determine US and allied weapon/targeting performance against high value targets.
FY2027 planned work Continue to exploit high value threat systems through quarterly test events. Provide signature data from multiple threat systems in various environments using advanced and developmental seeker/sensor technologies. Expand Acoustic Week into Chicken Little UAS/ACOUSTIC Week, providing a distinct forum for joint service demonstration of developmental and operational acoustic sensors against a wide array of US, coalition, and foreign national ground targets. Sensor platforms will include highly proliferated and asymmetric threat Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Exploit the signatures of ISR targets; conduct performance analysis & evaluations through rapid reaction performance analysisin support…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Increase is due to general inflation.
FY2026 plans — current year Continue to exploit high value threat systems through quarterly test events. Provide signature data from multiple threat systems in various environments using advanced and developmental seeker/sensor technologies. Conduct Sensor Week (SW), providing a singularly unique forum for joint service demonstration of developmental and operational seekers/sensors/ISR assets against a wide array of US, coalition, and foreign national ground targets. Exploit the signatures of ISR targets; conduct performance analysis & evaluations through rapid reaction performance analysis in support of COCOM/MAJCOM immediate/urgent warfighter needs; optimize current project methods to support ISR testing…